I don’t consider myself to be a feminist, nor am I okay with women portraying themselves as helpless victims against a cruel, male-dominated society, but come on people. We’ve still got a lot of work to do.
Oh, periods. Yes, I said it, menstruation. The holy grail of making men uncomfortable. Why is it that we can’t talk about it in public without offending someone? And why are tampons SO DARN EXPENSIVE but we’re more than willing to pass out free condoms like it’s candy on Halloween? So you’re saying that it’s perfectly okay to have sex but I have to pay like $10 for a box of tampons that I have no choice but to get? It’s not a luxury, brand name cosmetic, IT’S COTTON ON A STRING. Could they be more eco-friendly? Yes, and there have been new items to try to achieve this, but the fact of the matter is that this is a controversial topic that shouldn’t be controversial. Like seriously, this is ridiculous. Ask any female you know, none of us enjoy getting our period each month and it’s an even bigger drag when we have to leave class or work to run to the store to buy tampons. Try walking around for hours on end with stains on your pants and learning about it only when you get home. Or having to constantly ask other girls to “check” you or being worried that you’ll sneeze and all hell with break loose. When you go into a restroom, do you have to pay for the toilet paper that you use? No, because it’s used with a natural, bodily function. Why aren’t tampons provided for the same reason? Girls end up feeling shameful of their bodies for no reason and I am 100% certain that if menstruation were to occur in males, we would not even be having this conversation.
The biggest hurdle that we need to jump right now is learning to talk about it. With most young girls, you get the “period talk,” the “sex talk,” and then you’re on your way into life. Why don’t guys ever talk about it? Do they even know what happens? Women, the humans primarily responsible for the reproduction of society, should feel supported and not as if their biological processes are a way for big businesses to make money.
I’m just trying to make the point that while yes, we have gained strides in the comparison between men and women, we obviously still have a ways to go.
Further reading: https://www.listenmoneymatters.com/the-pink-tax/